Free Decorating Ideas for Cold Rooms

Feeling chilly? Does your room feel cold and unwelcoming?

Check out these free decorating ideas and interior design tips to make cold rooms feel warm, welcoming and cosy. It's time to come in from the cold!

Does your room feel cold and uninviting?

You can't seem to get comfortable in there, no matter how hard you try... and your home feels unwelcoming, even to you...?

Large or tall rooms can have a tendency to feel cold and stark...

...but small rooms, and dark rooms too, where you have perhaps decorated with cool and pale colors to help with the feeling of space, can sometimes do their job a little too well...

...and leave a cold and unwelcoming feel...

Minimalist schemes, or decorating color schemes in all white, can sometimes also feel stark and cold to be in too.

A lot does depend on your own personality and tastes.

You might love that neat, clean and spacious feel - or, like me, you might be more comfortable with a cosy and more comfortable feel, with all your 'home comforts' around you.

Some of these free decorating ideas to warm up cold rooms are great for giving a more homely, lived in feel to minimalist or bland rooms too...

Free Decorating Ideas to Warm Up Cold Rooms

• Of course, if your room feels cold, you should first check out the obvious - Is the temperature actually warm enough?
  
  

  

  
  
  If the physical temperature is a problem, consider...
  • turning the thermostat up?
  • fitting new radiators, or more radiators
  • does your boiler need fixing?
  • fitting double glazing
  • seal badly fitting doors and windows
  • block any draughts
  • fit thick 'interlined' curtains for warmth - and always draw them at dusk
• Perhaps its not the physical temperature that's actually the problem - just the way the room makes you feel - don't worry - there is still good news, as simple interior design can do much to help with this.
• Some of these free decorating ideas can help...

Color

• Cosy colors are essential to a warmer feeling room.
• Even in small spaces, try not to rely exclusively on white and cool colors (although these do help the space to feel larger).
• Warm, mid-toned colors will make your room more warm and welcoming, but without making it feel too dark.









• You can change your whole color scheme, or just add accents of warmer colors to an existing scheme to 'cosy' it up.
• Choose tones of:
  • reds
  • oranges
  • yellows
  • russets
• For paler tones, use rich, warm creams, beiges, taupes, apricots and pinks - rather than a stark, bright white. This can work well in smaller spaces, and where you are not over-fond of using strong colors, for any reason.
• If you have a chair-rail, or picture rail, then paint the area of wall above it in the warm color, in a darker shade than the area below.
• Try to avoid contrasts between light and dark shades, as this can feel very hard and stark. Introduce some warm, mid-tones (russet or orange tones) to cosy it all up.









• For more ideas about choosing decorating color schemes, click here...

Lighting

• One of the easiest free decorating ideas is to think of your lighting to warm your rooms up...
• Try to avoid uplighters.
• Choose several sources of light - task lighting and accent lighting - scattered around the room, to provide several warm pools of light. Consider:
  • table lighting
  • floor lightin
  • wall lighting
• Tungsten bulbs give a lovely, warm glow, so choose these, rather than the harsh light of flourescent or halogen bulbs.
• Add candles for warmth and atmosphere.
• More information about home interior lighting, here...

Fixtures and Fittings

• What you do with your furniture is more important than the style of furniture itself.
• Remember to try to avoid stark contrasts between light and dark shades.
• Think about textures in your home - make sofas, chairs, beds etc in your home look warm, soft and welcoming. Add extra:
  • pillows
  • cushions
  • throws (especially faux furs)
  • warm colors
• Warm wood tones in furniture and accessories can really warm up your whole look.
• Carpets are far more warm and welcoming than hard flooring. If you have flooring in your home, don't worry too much, as thick, soft, tufted rugs are wonderfully cosy to dig your toes into.
• Add personal touches in warm colors - artwork, accessories, photos, vases etc. for a welcoming and homely feel that will really turn your house into a home.









• This is an idea that works particularly well where you have a minimalist scheme, or for small rooms decorated in very pale colors, and you just need to warm up the scheme a little.

So long as you get the physical temperature sufficiently warm, interior design can do a lot to warm up cool and unwelcoming rooms, and to make your home feel cosy and friendly.

These free decorating ideas can really help - and give you lots to consider in your own room makeovers.



More ideas about decorating with colors

More ideas about home interior lighting

More interior design information for tall or large rooms

More interior design tips for how to design

Return to the page for more cheap decorating ideas and fast fixes for all your interior design problems.

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